We don't often write. We don't tell you about the horrible things we see and hear in court. But what we witnessed at the Germantown Charity Horse Show (GCHS) was something we had to share.

Through years of attending animal cruelty court cases, one thing is very apparent...cruelty is cruelty.

It does not matter if it is against a dog, a cat, a horse, a child..... cruelty is cruelty. It is all connected.

Many Walking Horses are being HORRIBLY abused right in our County. Horses are considered livestock and don't fall under the typical animal cruelty laws of our city or state, making this hard to fight. We need your help.

Community Action for Animals attended the Germantown Charity Horse Show and witnessed every category that featured Walking Horses. What we saw broke our hearts. It was sickening to watch.

Horses' eyes rolled wildly back, the whites showing. Hind legs barely able to support the "forced" posture of the "Big Lick" where rubber pads, sometimes 4-6 inches high, are attached to the front legs forcing the horse to place it's weight and that of the rider on only the hind legs. Froth and foam coming from the horses mouth, ears laid back, heads rapidly bobbing in response to pain.

The judge of the Walking Horse divisions this year at the Germantown Charity Horse Show had been penalized for soring and other violations of the Horse Protection Act (all cruelty). He just came off from being penalized on 1/1/12. The Walking Horse stable manager had been penalized under the Horse Protection Act. 27 of 38 exhibitors (riders/trainers/owners) noted had been penalized under the Horse Protection Act. Most for soring, some for pounding nails into the soft part (frog) of the horse's hoof and hiding it under the thick rubber pads, some for scarring (sign of previous soring). The brother of the man featured in the HSUS video won the grand supreme category. He has been penalized 10 times for soring and other violations of the federal Horse Protection Act.

Soring is horrendous. Acid put on the ankles of the horse, chains placed over the burns to keep the area raw, so that every step causes the type of pain we can only imagine. Soring is like walking barefoot across a bed of hot coals. Now imagine doing it while carrying a 200 pound man on your back, with screws and nails in the balls of your feet, or open acid burns around your ankles with chains rubbing them raw.

When we asked one Walking Horse owner about the chains, he said they were like the pretty bracelets a woman wears, that she likes to hear them jangle. And that the thick pads were like wearing stiletto high heels. And we all know how comfortable that is. High heels that you can never remove.

Walking Horses were not always treated this way. Until the 1950s and 60s, the competitions were normal. The horses showed using a natural gait. No pads, no chains, no acid. The GCHS could return to a "Sound Horse" competition and do away with the action devices, the chains and pads that help hide the crime of soring.

But they do not, they elect to keep the Big Lick.

Roy Rogers' horse Trigger and The Lone Ranger's horse Silver were Walking Horses. They were America's horses. They were the horses of our youth. Can you imagine this level of cruelty being done to Silver and Trigger?

If you have not already signed the CAA generated petition, we ask that you do.

If you have not forwarded it to you email list, we ask that you do.

If you have not watched the HSUS undercover video filmed right outside Collierville, we ask that you do.

And to those of you who did sign and forward the petition, thank you.

Tealy Devereaux of Channel 13 did a good segment on the walking horses. The interview with Bob Lanier, the Director of the Germantown Charity Horse Show, displays an obvious dismissal of the cruelty involved with the Big Lick, the type of competitions held at the GCHS.

Please, we ask that everyone take a stand against this cruelty. Cruelty is cruelty.

Horse breeders - call for social responsibility
If you agree that horses are companion/partner animals in sport, therapy and work, and not livestock, please sign this petition asking horse breeding associations to guide their members away from slaughter and toward responsible sales contracts and aftercare of their breeding stock. Already 200 signatures in week 1.....please sign and share:http://www.change.org/petitions/horse-breeders-call-for-social-responsibility
The horses thank you,
"Regardless of which path one chooses to get to Heaven, the best way to arrive there is on a horse."

Wed Dec 29, 2010 5:20 pm (PST)
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/petition_to_put_the_american_mustang_on_the_endangered_species_list
Please click on and sign:
Petition to Put The American Mustang on The Endangered Species List.
From: The Persian Horse Blog, Change
Targeting: The President of the United States, The U.S. Senate, and The U.S.
House of Representatives
Started by: J D
SUMMARY
The purpose of this petition is to bring awareness to the fact that the
American Mustang is being subjected to conditions that would put any other
species on the Endangered Species List, and to request action be taken
immediately to put the American Mustang on The Endangered Species List.
PETITION TEXT
Greetings,
The purpose of this petition is to bring awareness to the fact that the
American Mustang is being subjected to conditions that would put any other
species on the Endangered Species List.Below is a quote from the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, regarding the Endangered Species Act.

"Under the ESA, species may be listed as either
endangered or threatened. 'Endangered' means a species is in danger of
extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
'Threatened' means a species is likely to become endangered within the
foreseeable future.
All species of plants and animals, except pest insects, are eligible for
listing as endangered or threatened. For the purposes of the ESA, Congress
defined species to include subspecies, varieties, and, for vertebrates,
distinct population segments. As of March 2008, the FWS has listed 1,925
species
worldwide as endangered or threatened, of which 1,351 occur in the U.S.

How are Species Listed? Section 4 of the ESA requires
species to be listed as endangered or threatened solely on the basis of
their biological status and threats to their existence. When evaluating a
species for listing, the FWS considers five factors:
1) damage to, or destruction of, a speciesí habitat;
2) over-utilization of the species for commercial, recreational, scientific,
or educational purposes;
3) disease or predation;
4) inadequacy of existing protection; and
5) other natural or man-made factors that affect the continued existence of
the species. When one or more of these factors imperils the survival of a
species, the FWS takes action to protect it.
To ensure the accuracy of the data, the FWS decides all listings using sound
science and peer review."
It does not take a great stretch of the imagination to come to the
conclusion that the United States is currently subjecting the American
Mustang to many, if not all of the conditions above.
By signing this petition you put your name down as an American citizen, in
protest of the current treatment of the American Mustang, and petition the
U.S. government to cease and desist in any activity that continues to
threaten these animals. In addition, we petitioners request with extreme
vehemence, that the U.S. government take action to put the American Mustang
on the Endangered Species List.
[Your name]
Read more of this post
Add a comment to this post

Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:09:07 -0400
Subject: [UR_KY] Mare beaten to death in Edgar Co. IL - Please sign petition
and crosspost
Edgar County, IL - A beautiful mare has been beaten and had blunt force
trauma around the head. Her left eye was bulging from the socket. Her tongue
was macerated and bleeding. The lower lip was separated from the gum line
leaving a long separation between the gum line and lip. It appeared her jaw
had been dislocated. She had been struggling to get up for over 24 hours.
She was left to die. When rescue finally came it was too late and the vet
had to put her to sleep. This took place Oct 7, 2010 and not until Oct 13,
2010 did the States Attorney office disclose that two misdemeanor charges
have been filed.
1) violation of animal rights
2) cruelty to animalsIn Illinois the beating of a horse is considered aggravated cruelty which
is a Class 4 Felony ie: IL Humane Care for Animals Act (510 ILCS 70/3.02) With your help we need to push for the maximum penalty for animal
abuser Dennis Hollingsworth of Marshall, Illinois.
Please respectfully remind the state's attorney that the IL HCAA requires
that he should be prosecuted according to statute.States Attorney Mark Isak at (217) 466-7456Six horses remain possibly transfered to a near relative which also may
be an equally abusive situation.
Also need supporters for Court date on October 21, 2010 @ 9am Edgar County
couthouse Lower court room

Please sign this and help save our wild horses...
The government are planning to cull numbers, shooting them from the sky, in most cases not killing them instantly, leaving them to suffer...
This needs to stop... Please take a few minutes to sign the petition..http://www.thepetitionsite.com/28/Stop-the-slaughter-now
Kindest Regards
Amanda Vella

Please sign this petition for wildhorses:

This is from the Defense of Animals and going to several agencies and officials, including the office of the President.

DEADLINE the 27th. of JANUARY!!!

The President can impose a moratorium to stop the roundups! We need to ask him to do so immediately!

Hi, I signed the petition "AMERICAN HORSEMEAT UNFIT TO EAT!". I'm asking you to sign this petition to help us reach our goal of 1,000,000 signatures. I care deeply about this cause, and I hope you will support our efforts.

-----

ThePetitionSite.com provides tools and empowers individuals to make a difference and effect positive change through online activism. Get connected with the causes you care about, take action to make the world a better place, and start your own petition at http://www.ThePetitionSite.com!

ThePetitionSite.com is powered by Care2, the largest and most trusted information and action site for people who care to make a difference in their lives and the world. www.care2.com

PLEASE CROSS POST

Please sign and pass on to your contacts. Be sure to complete all fields!

Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:44 pm (PDT)
Hello newenglandequinerescues@yahoog!
Robin Yager has just read and signed the petition: American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign
You can view this petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/5633053
Message from Robin Yager:
-----
Hi,
I signed the petition "American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign". I'm asking you to sign this petition to help us reach our goal of 50,000 signatures. I care deeply about this cause, and I hope you will support our efforts.
-----
ThePetitionSite.com provides tools and empowers individuals to make a difference and effect positive change through online activism. Get connected with the causes you care about, take action to make the world a better place, and start your own petition at http://www.ThePetitionSite.com!
ThePetitionSite.com is powered by Care2, the largest and most trusted information and action site for people who care to make a difference in their lives and the world. www.care2.com

==Please forward to friends==
Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the petition: "Save the Wild Horses of Montana's Pryor Mountains".

Please take a moment to read about this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. We are trying to reach 100000 signatures - please sign here:

Please send out to your lists and cross post. There's a petition to keep horse slaughter out of MT: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/319413487 . They are trying to get 1000 signatures, but so far there are just under 150. (note from Brandi: When I signed the petition, there were over 400 signatures. Yeah!!! Keep it up!)

Below is a link to the local paper for my area. This paper has done 4 stories regarding the stabbing death of my horse Skye. I got the call yesterday from the reporter asking my feelings and thoughts about the petition. To who ever started it I'm eternally grateful.

In the end he also put the petitions website.

No news as of yet from the DAs office. I'm going to call them by tomorrow if i don't hear anything. This being in limbo is hard. A thousand worries go through my mind.

This paper actually covers the Capital District area. Now more will be aware of it.
Dawn
The horse you get off is not the same as the horse you got on;
It is our job as a rider to ensure that as often as possible the change is for the better.
-Anonymous

I am editing this post to say, this petition was originally thought of to address my Congressman whose opposing argument was that our bills would interfere with the agriculture industry.
The original idea was to present signatures of constituents who believed that horses should not be just thrown into the category of livestock animals and they should be separate concerning slaughter.

I found out that this is exactly what they expected! As if this is such an abstract idea!? But, it is the all important bloody "CONTROL" that is needed to be retained by the Dept. of Agriculture!!

So, I went a different route....

With the help of dedicated friends who are both very knowledgeable and active in the anti slaughter movement, this petition has evolved.

This petition was originally and is still being used as a hand signed document with individuals personal hand written comments. At this time, I have received close to 1500 signatures
and many, comments addressed to our legislators here. It is an excellent tool for informing the public that this is sadly, neglectfully and horribly allowed to continue by our Government.

With the request of a college newspaper who will be doing an article and the changing weather which at times is prohibiting time to stop people asking for their signatures, this on line petition
was created and addressed more broadly, so that it can be sent to everyones officials.

We are receiving many signatures from people outside our country, but need more from our citizens as well.

Please forward above link to the online petition to friends and family a well as groups who might want to help with support.

This is a sample of the older version of the hard copy which is 11"x17" in size, that was already sent prior to the discussion of new H.R. 6598 bill.

There are plans to build an Aberdeen Western Peripheral Rout with a dual carriageway running through our land. We stand to lose 20 acres and the road would have a devastating effect on the sanctuary and on the environment. There is a strong public feeling that the road is not necessary or in the wrong place and a Public Inquiry is being held at the moment, but even if the Reporter recommends that the road should not be built, the Scottish First Minister can overturn his decision. One of our neighbours, Liz Bracegirdle, has drawn up a petition to the Scottish Government at http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/22833.html
We are hoping to get a huge number of signatures from all over the world and your help would be so gratefully appreciated.